Avenged Sevenfold announce surprise new album The Stage

Avenged Sevenfold have unexpectedly released their brand new album The Stage and it's out now in hmv stores.

The album is the band's seventh and the follow-up to 2013's Hail To The King. You can order the album from hmv.com by clicking on the buy button on the right-hand side of the page.

The Stage is the band's first album for Capitol Records after their departure from long-time label Warner Bros and their first with new drummer Brooks Wackerman, the ex-Bad Religion sticksman who joined the band in 2015.

The album has been co-produced with the band by Joe Barresi, best known for his work with Tool and Queens Of The Stone Age. You can see the album's artwork below:

The Stage is a concept album inspired by artificial intelligence and features a cameo from scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson on closing track 'Exist'. It is also the band's longest album to date, clocking in at 73 minutes and 40 seconds.